"Now we can really move into developing and strengthening that ACL repair.

"In line with that, now he's going to go into a real heavy strength phase."

According to Cupples, Griffin is now ready to start strengthening the leg muscles.

"It's just good to see him without the brace and walking around. He's obviously been training doing plenty of off feet and upper body work," Cupples said.

"With the coaching and all the other stuff he's been doing with the group, he's been really valuable. Everyone around the squad and coaching staff are really excited for Slade to get the news and now we can start building him physically around that leg."

Tautau Moga is a step closer to making his NRL return after passing a private training test on his knee.

The centre tore his ACL earlier in the season but is improving at a rapid rate.

Back training with the fulltime squad, Head of Physical Performance, Balin Cupples revealed Moga is entering the final phase of his rehabilitation.

"Tau's been integrated with certain parts of the sessions over the past couple of weeks," Cupples told newcastleknights.com.au.

"To go a little higher level with him, we took him off sight for some external assessments last Wednesday, to look at some kinetic and some variables, some jump land and decel (deceleration) mechanics to try and create that high level return for him and give us as much objective information we can get.

"We got some high-quality information back and things to work on over the next couple of months as he enters that final stage of his rehab.

"It's' exciting for Tau, he's getting in and amongst the group. There still a little bit of work to be done but as with Tau, across the whole of his rehab, he's been ticking plenty of boxes and working really hard."

Meanwhile, Hymel Hunt is recovering from a shoulder injury.

The former South Sydney back arrived at the Club having had a labral repair.

"Similar to Tau, he's been in and around the group over the last couple of weeks, building through his contact progression, doing a lot of ground work with Woody and the rehab staff," Cupples said.

"Hitting those final stages of strength within the gym, both push-pull with his shoulder.

"(He) finally got into some positional specific training in the last week or so. Really strongly for him, he's coming through that and by the start of January he'll be back to full training.

"It's exciting for Hymel he needs to keep working over the Christmas break and get back in and put some pressure on those OB's (outside backs) come January."

"So, a fairly significant injury and at the moment he's in a six-week phase of none-weight bearing.

"In saying that, he's been around the boys the last sort of week. He's started his upper body conditioning and we'll definitely keep track of his body composition and make sure he's working hard, even over this Christmas break, to maintain the treatment and that's the same with all these rehab guys.

"... he's got some work to do moving forward, he's going to have the same support and planning around him to get him back as soon as we can."

In a positive for the Club, the injury list is dwindling.

The Knights are also in the fortunate position to promote some of their youngsters to the fulltime training squad.

Bradman Best and Starford To'a join the fulltime squad for the month of January.

The duo featured for the Australian Schoolboys and were standout performers throughout their tour of England.

"Bradman's picked up a grade two MCL on the tour," Cupples said.

"He's in a knee brace for over the Christmas period, then we'll get him moving as soon as he gets back, its just good to have that level of detail with Bradman coming back into an NRL rehab program will make sure he gets the treatment and the attention he needs and then Starford has come through pretty clean.

"He'll jump straight back into NRL training, so we're excited to get those two young, strong outside backs around the NRL crew and move forward as a group in January."

Tautau Moga took another step in the right direction as he recovers from an ACL injury.

The centre spent Thursday in Sydney for an update on his troublesome knee and was met with positive news.

"The surgeon was very happy with how the knee was at," Head of Physical Performance, Balin Cupples said.

"He has still got some final functional assessments to do both with us and some outside expertise next week.

"From there, hopefully we get some positive information from there and then he is a bit more integrated over the next few weeks heading into trials and Round 1."

Cupples said Moga has been increasing his workload and training involvement and that will continue in the coming weeks.

"He's starting to jump into a little bit more positional stuff now and from next week, touch wood, with really positive results which we are expecting he will build into the reactive and the full edge on edge and opposed team sessions," Cupples said.

Meanwhile, Slade Griffin experienced a little hiccup last week when traveling to Melbourne.

The hooker is recovering from an ACL injury and spent five days in hospital with a leg infection.

While it was a tiny setback, the trip to visit the surgeon was worth it.

Griffin's recovery is progressing nicely.

"Slade was going down to Melbourne to see his surgeon, just a routine check-up and in that, when he got down there wasn't feeling well," Cupples explained.

"He attained a cellulitis infection, which is not uncommon but it sort of knocked him around for a week or so.

"In terms of the surgeon, he was pretty happy with where his knee was at.

"A little bit of a hiccup but Slade was straight back into it this week after a few days."

Injured Knights forward Jacob Saifiti is out of a brace after suffering a fractured fibula in an off-field incident in December.

The setback is expected to keep the 22-year-old out of action for the start of the 2019 season.

"He got really good news so he's out of the brace, building the weight bearing through his leg. Going through his strength phase and will go through the return to run protocol over the next few weeks," Head of Physical Performance, Balin Cupples, told newcastleknights.com.au.

Knights centre Tautau Moga is on track for a return in the early rounds of the 2019 season after passing a training test on his knee before Christmas.

The club says he's improving at a "rapid rate" after tearing his ACL early in the 2018 season, and he's now back training with the full-time squad.

Injured Knights hooker Slade Griffin has started running in another step towards playing again.

The nib Newcastle Knights winger missed the final trial of the pre-season after rolling his ankle at training but has been cleared of any damage and resumed full training.

“Skids was a late scratching, just went over on his ankle and then precautionary, that close to a trial game,” Head of Physical Performance, Balin Cupples said.

“He’ll re-join the main squad on Saturday and feed forward with the squad.

“Heading into Round 1, we’re pretty healthy.”

The news is also good for Hymel Hunt.

The outside back was unable for any trial games due to a hamstring complaint.

The 25-year-old has since recovered and will be available for selection ahead of the Knights’ season opener against Cronulla at McDonald Jones Stadium.

“Hymel was touch and go for the trial. We probably could’ve played him with limited minutes but in the context of the game and the bigger picture into competition, he came through a really comprehensive hamstring protocol,” Cupples explained.

“He’s back in with the full team. He’s come through two sessions and he’ll roll into Round 1 prep with the rest of the squad.”

Unfortunately for Mason Lino, the halfback will miss the opening weeks of the 2019 competition.

Lino damaged his PCL playing in the reserve grade trial match last week.

“He came down awkwardly on his knee and picked up a minor PCL strain,” Cupples said.

“Original diagnosis was going to be four weeks but in the last two to three days, he’s made major steps forward.

Both still developing & played a lot of footy now. Next few years hopefully their bodies will develop more to withstand first-grade footy. Mentally, they'll still have a lot of growing to have too so it's exciting where they could go. For Dan particularly, watching Klemmer smash out 150-200m every week I think will inspire the hell out of him & when he comes onto the field after 25 minutes, he'll be pumped to try & match Klem.